In his latest book, Think Again, Adam Grant raises an interesting question: is it harmful to label something as a best practice?
Best implies there is nothing better. Best implies something is done. At least to some people.
That probably isn't the case. The practice may be the best at the time, based on technology, skills, experience, etc. But it may not be the best for now. If something was a best practice last year, or even last month, it may be outdated now.
The point is that we need to find time to periodically challenge the idea that something is a best practice. It not only requires the diligence to do it regularly, but also the skill set to examine it critically. It isn't just asking "is there a better way", but asking deeper questions like "what assumptions go into this being a best practice and are those assumptions correct?"
Maybe change the name to BPFN (Best Practices For Now). Or maybe BP21 (Best Practice in 2021). Set the expectation in the name that these things will change.
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